“What’s this from?”
Payton shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “Someone didn’t want to get arrested and felt putting a knife in my back was the answer.”
What? Some asshole had stabbed her? He’d find out who it was and beat the living shit out of them for marring her perfect skin.
“Alex, it’s fine. It was years ago. It was from one of my first cases. My partner and I got the guy in the end.”
That made him feel a little better. “Is he still in jail?”
“I don’t know. It’s not like I’ve kept tabs on him.”
“Someone stabbed you and you don’t know where they are?”
“Do you know where all your bad guys are?”
Dead and rotting in a hole never to see daylight again.
“No.” It was a safer answer.
“And neither do I. He wasn’t the first to try and won’t be the last. I’ve just learned from my rookie mistakes and gotten stronger and faster.”
He’d seen her in action against Smith. The woman was incredible. Fast as lightning. Fearless. He was damn proud of her, even if he did fear for her safety, but he wisely kept that thought to himself. Payton wouldn’t appreciate him playing the sexist role of telling her that what she did was dangerous. She would only point out what he did was just as dangerous if not more.
They laid in silence for a few minutes until Payton tried to get up again. “I should get back to work. I think I’m close to figuring out the address list connection.”
“Does that brain of yours ever stop?”
“No.” She smiled, not ashamed at all.
“I must not have done a good enough job then.” Her lethargy was gone as if it had never been there. She was back in detective mode. It was a shame. He was ready for a nap and perhaps another round or two before they got back to work.
Nick’s life could be in danger, but would an hour or two make a difference to his circumstance? They were no closer to cracking the code on the flash drive.
“Oh, you’ll get no complaints from me there. It was incredible.”
“Incredible enough you’re talking about your father’s disappearance a few minutes after I blew your world apart?”
Payton propped herself up on her elbow looking at him with a raised eyebrow. Her hair was a bird’s nest. Her lips were red and swollen. She’d never looked so beautiful. “Blew my world apart, huh?” she asked, a teasing glint in her eyes.
Well, it blew his world apart. “My ears are still ringing. Should we see if any of your neighbors heard?”
Payton’s mouth opened in shock before swatting him in the chest. “I don’t have any. It wasn’t that loud.” She couldn’t meet his eye, knowing he was right.
“If it was snowing, you’d cause an avalanche.”
Payton started tickling his sides. “Take it back.”
“Never,” he chuckled, capturing her hands and pinning them to his chest right over his heart. Payton settled back down at his side, happy to keep her hands there.
“It really was incredible.”
Alex kissed the top of her head. “It was. Just lay with me for a few more minutes.” He didn’t know why he was pressing her to stay with him. He’d never felt the need to cuddle afterwards before. With Payton, everything was different. He wanted things he hadn’t wanted before, or at least ever admitted to himself that he’d wanted. More.
“Okay, just for a few more minutes then we need to get back to work finding my dad.” She gave him a warning look.
“I promise.” Payton curled back into his side. Her whole body relaxed within moments. His own eyes started feeling heavy. A little while longer wouldn’t hurt anything.
As Payton drifted asleep in his arms, he whispered three little words he could never utter when she was awake. It might as well be a death sentence. He feared what she would say if she knew how he really felt. The loyalty she’d be torn by. Him or her father.